ST. PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus men’s basketball team had a tough time slowing down the hot shooting of Saint John’s Saturday, losing 73-56. The loss drops the Gusties to 3-9 overall and 3-4 in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, while the Johnnies improve to 8-3 overall and 4-2 in the league.
“We allowed them to score at will in the first half,” Head Coach Mark Hanson said. “We at least made them take some tougher shots in the second half, but offensively we were a little out of whack and I think getting down early affected our offense.”
Saint John’s jumped out to a 12-2 lead in the first four minutes, making its first four shots from the field, and never looked back. The Johnnies led by as much as 18 points in the first half and took a 45-30 advantage into halftime. The visitors also shot 74 percent in the first 20 minutes, while the Gusties shot 44 percent. The second half was a similar story as Saint John’s gained its largest lead at the 7:29 mark (68-42) and cruised to a 17-point victory.
“I hope this loss stings a little bit and motivates us,” Hanson said.
Jason Faul (Jr., Prior Lake, Minn.) scored a career-high 12 points and hauled in a team-best seven rebounds. Alec Koster (Sr., Redwood Falls, Minn.) and Peter Kruize (Sr., St. Peter, Minn.) were next in line with eight points apiece.
Gustavus next hosts Bethel at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
“I think they’re one of the best teams in the conference,” Hanson said of Bethel. “They play a style that is difficult to guard and they’re one of the better defensive teams in the league.”